A16.1 General Instructions for the order of processing visa applications

A16.1 General Instructions for the order of processing visa applications

For the avoidance of doubt, general instructions are to be read alongside and subject to any immigration instructions specifically addressing order or manner of processing visa applications.

For the purposes of this general instruction, residence class visa applications are categorised in groups. Groups consist of either application types within a particular overarching policy, a category with different but associated visa policies, or specific applications that are grouped together in the Immigration New Zealand Operational Manual. Current groupings are found at A16.5.

Under section 26(4) of the Immigration Act 2009 and acting under delegated authority from the Chief Executive of the Ministry of the Business, Innovation, and Employment, I give the following general instructions as to the order and manner of processing of visa applications, effective from 27 November 2023:

Residence applications

1. Applications of the same group should generally be processed in lodgement date order unless specified below.
2. Within the Skilled Residence group, applications will be prioritised where:
   1. applicants are employed or have been offered employment in an occupation listed in Tier 1 of the Green List; or
   2. applicants have an hourly rate equivalent to or higher than three times the median wage; or
   3. for the Skilled Migrant Category, applicants qualify for six points without work experience.

      Note: The hourly rate equivalent to the median wage is set out in the applicable immigration instructions and may change. The current hourly rate equivalent to three times the median wage for Skilled Residence is $94.83 per hour or an annual salary of $197,246.40. The current immigration instructions should be referred to when applying this General Instruction.

3. Within the Family Residence group, Partnership and Dependent Child Family applications will be prioritised.
4. Within the Parent Resident Visa category of the Family Residence group, visa applications are split into two cohorts. Cohort one comprises applications from people invited to apply for a visa who had an expression of interest selected from the Queued Pool (for which there are 2000 visas available per year). Cohort two comprises applications from people invited to apply for a visa who had an expression of interest selected from the Ballot Pool (for which there are 500 visas available per year). Each cohort will generally be processed in lodgement date order within that cohort, however prioritisation as to processing between the two cohorts will be adjusted by INZ as necessary in order to best meet the overall annual limit of 2500 visas per year.
5. Within the Refugee (and other special visas) Residence group, applications for the following permanent resident visas will be prioritised:
   1. Christchurch response (2019)
   2. Afghan Emergency Resettlement Category
   3. Refugee and Protection Category
   4. Refugee Quota Family Reunification Category
   5. Community Organisation Refugee Sponsorship Category Pilot

   Temporary entry applications

6. Applications should generally be processed in lodgement date order unless specified below.
7. Accredited Employer Work Visa (AEWV) and partner of a AEWV holder and/or dependent of a AEWV holder applications, where a job token is being reused, will not be allocated for processing unless:
   1. the expiry date of the current AEWV is less than 9 months; or
   2. discretion is used by an INZ Head of Operations (or higher) to allocate applications for processing in expiry date order where the expiry date of the current AEWV is 9 months or more, when resourcing availability allows.

      Note: The provisions set out under (g) above do not apply to applications for a partner and/or dependent of a AEWV holder visa based on a AEWV holder’s current visa.

8. These instructions do not prevent immigration officers according urgency to the processing of any particular visa application when the individual circumstances so warrant that.

Note: Processing timeliness of applications generally, as well as those particular applications assigned priority over others in their group, will vary based on factors including resourcing, availability of relevantly trained immigration officers, system capacity, volumes, typical complexity of the application and can change depending on circumstances.
The prioritisation for allocation set out above does not affect the date the application is made. An application is made on the date the application is submitted in accordance with the applicable immigration regulations.

The previous General Instructions dated 9 November 2023 as to the order and manner of processing of visa applications made under section 26(4) of the Immigration Act 2009 are revoked.

Alison McDonald
Deputy Secretary
Immigration

14 November 2023

Effective 28/02/2024